Kapitalbeteiligung im 21. Jahrhundert: Antwort auf Thomas Piketty

Abstract

This white paper discusses an aspect that seems to be missing in the debate about Piketty’s “Capital in the 21st Century”: to build the bridge between capital and labour and to spread capital investment over a wide base. Based on historical data, it shows that capital participation could be a realistic option for Germany and for all of Europe. It would therefore be an alternative to the redistribution of wealth suggested by Thomas Piketty, and it would fit very well into the current debate about additional improvements to the private pension system in Germany. Calculations prove that if European employees had contributed small amounts of money to saving plans, they could own approximately 50% of the European stock market. Employees could become capital owners. Labour income could be–at least partly–replaced by capital income.